Tag Archives: quinton teal

NFL teams see needs surface during training camp, and players who need a job try to capitalize by coming in late to win roster spots. This post comments on training-camp signings through August 19. For signings earlier in the offseason, go to the pre-camp signings post and work your way back. Signings later in the preseason will be covered in a subsequent post.

Jets (add WR Laveranues Coles) – Coles returns for a third tour of duty with the Jets after a single disappointing season in Cincinnati. Coles’ main role with the Jets will be to fill in for Santonio Holmes during his four-game suspension to start the season. Coles won’t produce like Holmes will, but he provides a veteran balance to Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery in the first month of the season.

Broncos (add RBs LenDale White and Justin Fargas) – White, who had some good years with the Titans, blew his chance with his old college coach Pete Carroll in Seattle, and he faces a four-game suspension to start the season. But the Broncos, who lost Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter to training-camp injuries and traded away J.J. Arrington, needed a professional running back during camp and turned to White. He may just be a camp body, but if he shows promise, the Broncos might keep him around. Fargas, though, is a better bet to stick around. Although he’s now 30, Fargas still has the ability to be a decent performer if given an opportunity, and he has fewer miles on his tires than other backs his age. It’s entirely possible that Fargas could even usurp Buckhalter as Moreno’s backup. The fact that Fargas won’t miss four games to start the season also gives him an edge over White in terms of making the opening-day roster.

49ers (add RB Brian Westbrook) – The 49ers responded to the retirement of Glen Coffee by signing Westbrook as Frank Gore’s backup. Westbrook had a dynamic eight-year career in Philadelphia, producing big numbers as a runner and receiver and proving to be a team-first, smart guy. The problem with Westbrook was his durability. He missed games in every year of his Eagles career, and that durability is one of the reasons the Eagles moved on. Because San Francisco relies on Gore so heavily, Westbrook will have a limited role, and that may enable him to last throughout the season in San Fran. For a 49ers team trying to move into the playoffs again, Westbrook is a worthwhile investment as a role player.

Titans (add DL Raheem Brock) - Brock is a versatile lineman who can hold up outside or serve as a pass-rusher inside at defensive tackle. Plus, he comes from the Colts, so he’ll bring some insight to town for the division-rival Titans. At age 32, Brock doesn’t have a lot left, but he’s probably still good enough to fill a reserve role for a contender like the Titans.

Saints (add RB Ladell Betts) – The Saints responded to Lynell Hamilton’s season-ending injury by adding ex-Redskin Betts as their No. 3 back. Betts spent his first nine years in Washington, and although he was a lead back in just one year, he proved his value as a versatile back who can block and catch in addition to run. He steps in for Hamilton in the role that Mike Bell had last year for New Orleans as Pierre Thomas’ counterpart and short-yardage specialist. Betts may not be the thumper that Bell was, but he’s good enough to allow the Saints to keep Thomas fresh, and that’s all they could hope for with a mid-August replacement.

Eagles (add UFA WR Kelley Washington) – Washington, who has stuck in the league for seven seasons as a big, rangy special-teams guy, actually showed some skill as a receiver last year with a career-high 34 catches. Now he moves from Baltimore to Philly, where he will be the fourth receiver and fill the role that Hank Baskett dropped last year. That’s an upgrade for the Eagles.

Colts (add UFA CB DeShea Townsend) – Townsend has played 12 years, all with the Steelers, and he remains a solid No. 3 or No. 4 corner. The Steelers didn’t want Townsend back, but he’ll be a nice veteran presence for the Colts’ young corner group.

Seahawks (add DT Quinn Pitcock and LB Tyjuan Hagler) – Pitcock played one year with the Colts after being a third-round pick in 2007, but he retired. He said the reasons were depression and a video-game addiction, both of which made him less than excited to play football. But the former Ohio State player says he’s excited about football again, and the Seahawks hope he can recapture the potential he showed as a collegian and a rookie. It’s worth a low-cost shot for the club. Hagler spent the last five years with the Colts, starting 17 games over the last three years. He adds depth in case Leroy Hill’s off-field problems sideline him for an extender period of time.

Dolphins (add OG Randy Thomas) – Thomas only played two games last year, but he’s been a long-time starter with the Redskins and the Jets before that. He’s near the end of the line, but he’s probably still good enough to start if Miami gets in a pinch inside. He’s a nice depth addition in mid-August.

Chargers (add S Quinton Teal) – Teal, who played the first three years of his career in Carolina, lands in San Diego after an offseason stop in Seattle. Teal is a replacement-level safety who adds depth to the Chargers’ backfield.

Saints (add WR Mark Bradley) – New Orleans has a deep corps of wide receivers, but they still decided to add Bradley, who played for Kansas City and Tampa Bay last year. Bradley has never lived up to his potential as a second-round pick in Chicago, but he’s a professional receiver who could be a No. 5 for someone – though probably not the receiver-rich Saints.

Patriots (add OG Eric Ghiaciuc) – Ghiaciuc, a three-year starter in Cincinnati, has bounced around the past several years, but he could still add depth for the Patriots up front, especially with Logan Mankins holding out.

Bears (add QB Matt Gutierrez) – Gutierrez, the former Patriots third-stringer who was with Kansas City last year, comes on board to try to beat out rookie Dan LeFevour for the backup QB job behind Jay Cutler.

This post compares cuts NFL teams made during the month of May. For previous cuts, start at the April cuts post and work your way back.

10 – Raiders (cut QB JaMarcus Russell) – The Raiders finally admitted that Russell, a former No. 1 overall pick, that he has become one of the biggest draft busts of all time. Russell has a big arm, and he went through a couple of offensive systems under Lane Kiffin and then Tom Cable. But Russell also showed an inadequate work ethic, and his noticeable belly became a tell about that. Russell’s failure became obvious last year, when journeyman Bruce Gradkowski took over the offense and got much better results. This offseason, the Raiders finally moved on from Russell, chalking up the $39 million they paid him as a sunk cost and trading for Jason Campbell as a replacement. Campbell, a QB who’s at least league average, if not a tick better, represents a huge upgrade over the underachieving and undermotivated Russell. Now Russell must show he wants to resurrect his career by getting in good shape and playing as a backup somewhere. But given Russell’s track record, a team would have to be completely desperate at quarterback to give him a shot, and aside from Buffalo, few teams are that needy. So Russell’s next shot won’t come easily.

9 – none

8 – none

7 – Patriots (cut CB Shawn Springs) – Springs was released after he reportedly failed a physical, although the Patriots indicated they may bring him back later in the offseason. Springs has been a good corner in the league for a lot of years, but his time as a starter is waning. He’s better as a No. 3 corner or even a veteran backup who gets a lot of time off during the regular season but who is available when it counts. Of course, all that assumes he can get healthy, which is no given for someone with 13 seasons of tread already on the tires.

6 – Seahawks (cut RB LenDale White, S Quinton Teal, QB Mike Teel, and WR Reggie Williams) – White had two good years out of four in Tennessee, but the Titans tired of his weight problems and attitude issues and dealt him to Seattle during the draft to move up a few spots in the fourth and sixth rounds. That light price in itself was a sign, but it appeared that White would be able to live up to his potential with his former college coach Pete Carroll. But when White was flagged for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, which will shelve him for the first four games of the season, the Seahawks decided White wasn’t worth the hassle and released him. White has talent, but if Carroll, under whom White thrived at USC, doesn’t see White as worth a roster spot, then it’s possible that no one else will either. White now faces a huge crossroads, and if he doesn’t dedicate himself to performing on the field, he could end up in the UFL instead of the NFL this fall. Teal came over to Seattle from Carolina earlier this offseason, but after Seattle re-signed Lawyer Milloy and drafted Earl Thomas, Teal become redundant there. Teel, a sixth-round pick last season, got caught up in the Seahawks’ regime change after Seattle brought in Charlie Whitehurst and J.P. Losman to back up Matt Hasselbeck. Teel still may have some developmental potential, but the Patriots cut him after taking a quick look via waivers. Williams, a former first-round pick in Jacksonville, got a second chance in Seattle but wasn’t able to even make it last until training camp.

5 – Saints (cut DE Bobby McCray) – After adding Alex Brown this offseason, the Saints decided McCray was expendable in a move that saved the team over a million dollars. McCray had six sacks as he started eight games and played all 16 for the Saints in 2008 but slipped to just one start and 1.5 sacks in 16 games last year. At this point, he’s not going to provide a ton of pass rush, but he’d be a good minimum-salary gamble for a team looking for a third end who could start in a pinch.

4 – Dolphins (cut LB Reggie Torbor) – Torbor, a six-year vet, has never been a full-time starter in the NFL, and the Dolphins decided to move toward a younger (and cheaper) option at their backup inside ‘backer position. Torbor landed in Buffalo to help the Bills install their new 3-4 defense.

4 (con’t) – Chargers (cut DT Ian Scott and S Kevin Ellison) – Scott played as a backup defensive tackle for the Chargers last year, but he’s been passed on the depth chart and is just a replacement-level player. Ellison started nine games as a rookie for the Chargers last year, but he fell out of favor. Still, Ellison is young enough to be a prospect elsewhere, and that elsewhere is Seattle.

3 – Texans (cut RB Ryan Moats) – Moats had one monster game for the Texans last year, but fumble problems cut his playing time short, and with the addition of rookie Ben Tate and the emergence of Arian Foster, plus Steve Slaton in place, Moats faced a fight for a roster spot. Moats is good enough that the Vikings claimed him off waivers to take a look, but he’s not a starting-quality NFL back.

3 (con’t) – Cowboys (cut C Cory Procter) – Procter, who backed up for the Cowboys at guard and center, was released in what appeared to be a cost-cutting move. Instead of paying Procter more than a million bucks, the ‘Pokes can use a first- or second-year guy in a backup role at about a third of the cost. Despite that, though, Procter is good enough that the Dolphins are giving him a look.

2 – Buccaneers (cut LB Angelo Crowell) – Crowell was once a productive linebacker in Buffalo, but he missed the last two years with injury. At this point, it’s uncertain whether Crowell is anywhere close health-wise to a starting-caliber player.

2 (con’t) – Titans (cut WR Mark Jones) – Jones had a couple of good years as a return specialist, but injuries shelved him last season and continue to be a problem.

1 (con’t) – Broncos (cut QB Tom Brandstater and OT Maurice Williams) – Brandstater, who last year looked like a quarterback prospect, lost his roster spot after the Broncos added Tim Tebow and Brady Quinn in the offseason. He was claimed on waivers by the Colts and will get a shot to make the roster there. Williams, an offseason signee, wasn’t able to provide the OT depth Denver had hoped.

1 (con’t) – Chiefs (cut RB Kolby Smith and QB Matt Gutierrez) – Smith showed some flashes in Kansas City, but he fell behind Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones and became too expensive to be a third-stringer. He landed in Denver via waiver claim. Gutierrez knows the Patriot-ish system the Chiefs run but has never proved he’s better than a No. 3 quarterback.

1 (con’t) – Bengals (cut CB Keiwan Ratliff) – Ratliff has bounced around in recent years after starting his career with the Bengals, but he’s out of a job – likely because Adam Jones pac-manned up the last CB spot on the roster.

1 (con’t) – Redskins (cut TE Sean Ryan) – Ryan is a block-first tight end who has bounced around but who wasn’t going to pass Chris Cooley or Fred Davis.

This post compares free-agent signings from the beginning of the NFL draft to the end of May. For past signings, check out the April signings post and work your way back.

10 – Saints (kept UFA FS Darren Sharper; added LB Clint Ingram and FB Jason McKie) – Sharper returns on another one-year deal after a spectacular first year with the Saints. Sharper not only provided veteran wiles and stability to a secondary that had long been a trouble spot for the Saints; he also was a playmaker who picked off nine passes and returned three of them for touchdowns. Sharper is 34, but he showed he can still perform at a high level in the league. After taking Patrick Robinson in the first round of April’s draft, the Saints could have moved ’09 first-rounder Malcolm Jenkins to free safety, but it’s a far safer bet to spend a couple of million dollars to keep Sharper in place and use Jenkins as a jack of all trades. Eventually, Jenkins will replace Sharper, but the Saints don’t need to be in any hurry to make that switch because Sharper’s play is still superb. Ingram started for the Jaguars last year, but Jacksonville pulled his tender off the table after the draft. After the departure of Scott Fujita, the Saints are thin at outside linebacker, so Ingram becomes a low-cost addition who could conceivably start and hold his own. McKie is a traditional fullback who played well in Chicago but was out when the Bears moved to a Mike Martz offense this offseason.

10 (con’t) – Cardinals (added OG Alan Faneca and CB Justin Miller; kept UFA NT Bryan Robinson) – Faneca, whom the Jets cut just after the draft, now plugs into a system he’s familiar with through head coach Ken Whisenhunt and line coach Russ Grimm, both of whom coached Faneca in Pittsburgh. Faneca, who got a one-year, $2.5 million deal, will actually bring home more cash this year than he would had the Jets held onto him, will be a great leader for the Cards’ line, which has been one of the team’s weaker units in recent years. He’ll give Herman Johnson help developing and will stabilize the interior of the line, and Faneca’s style also fits the run-first persona Whisenhunt is trying to implement in the desert. Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower should high-five team execs for bringing Faneca on board. Robinson is a long-time veteran who will move to a backup role with the arrival of first-rounder Dan Williams. Keeping him around for a year to spell and mentor Williams is a good idea for the Cards. Miller has bounced around in recent years, and he’s not a great defensive player, but he can add some punch to the return game.

9 – none

8 – none

7 – Bengals (added S Gibril Wilson, CB Pacman Jones, and PK Mike Nugent; kept UFA TE Reggie Kelly) – The secondary was a strong suit for the Bengals last year, but they brought in reinforcements. Wilson started for the Dolphins last year, and while he’s not a dynamic player, he’s at least OK. If he starts, he’ll be OK for the Bengals, and the team finally has a good price on a guy who has been overpaid the past two seasons in Oakland and Miami. Cincy also took a shot at Pacman Jones, who didn’t play last season. The former first-round pick has had plenty of off-field problems, but the bigger problem was his mediocre play in Dallas. Nugent, the long-time Jet kicker who filled in with the Cardinals at the end of last year, signed on with Cincy during the draft. He’ll compete against ex-Packer Dave Rayner to replace Shayne Graham. Kelly missed the entire 2009 season with an Achilles injury, but he’s a solid block-first tight end who fits well into Cincy’s run-first approach.

7 (con’t) – Redskins (added WRs Bobby Wade and Joey Galloway, DE Vonnie Holliday, LB Chris Draft, and DT Darrion Scott) – The Redskins are painfully thin at receiver, with Santana Moss aging and Devin Thomas and especially Malcolm Kelly as developmental prospects. So they brought in vets Wade and Galloway to add depth. Galloway no longer has special speed, and he was a bust in New England last year. Wade is not as well known, but he was productive as a Chief last year and could still fit in as a good third or fourth wideout for a contender. Draft is a capable starting linebacker who’s always replaceable but never horrible. He provides a good option for a team moving to a 3-4 in need of linebackers. Scott played for new Skins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett in the UFL last year, and so he could fit in as a backup as Washington moves to a 3-4 defense. Holliday, who played for Denver last year, can step in and start as a 3-4 end. He doesn’t make a ton of plays, but the long-time vet holds up really well against the run.

6 – Broncos (added LB Akin Ayodele and OT Maurice Williams, kept UFA LB Nick Greisen) – Ayodele was a veteran who brought stability but not tons of ability to the Dolphins the last two years. He knows the 3-4, though, and so can replace Andra Davis in the starting lineup. Greisen missed the ’09 season with a knee injury, but Denver’s going to take another look at him as a backup linebacker and special-teams cover guy. With Ryan Clady hurt, the Broncos brought in Williams, a disappointment as a second-round draft pick in Jacksonville who is athletic. Williams provides depth if he can recover his potential.

5 – Seahawks (kept UFA S Lawyer Milloy; added S Quinton Teal and QB J.P. Losman) – Milloy returns for a second season in Seattle, and in doing so he’ll be reunited with his first NFL coach, Pete Carroll, who returns to the pros after nearly a decade at USC. It’s been seven seasons since Milloy starred for the Patriots on their first Super Bowl winning team, but even though Milloy has been on lower-profile teams in Buffalo, Atlanta, and now Seattle, he remained a starter until last season. Milloy should be able to serve as a mentor to first-rounder Earl Thomas, and he provides veteran stability at a position where the only other player with NFL experience is Teal. Keeping Milloy at safety is a safe move that provides a sense of security for Seattle as they seek to develop Thomas into a defensive leader. Teal played some for the Panthers the last three years, but he wasn’t tendered a restricted free-agent contract this offseason. Teal will provide veteran depth behind rookies Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Losman, a first-round bust in Buffalo, played well in the UFL last year and deserves another shot in the NFL. But he looks like little more than a No. 3 in Seattle behind Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst.

4 – 49ers (added UFA CB William James) – James (formerly known as Will Peterson) started 14 games for the Lions last year and played pretty well, picking off two passes. The nine-year vet steps into a spot that Dre Bly struggled in last year.

4 (con’t) – Patriots (added DT Gerard Warren; kept UFA OLB Derrick Burgess) – Warren, a former No. 3 overall pick in the NFL, never became a huge impact player, but he’s been a regular starter in recent years in Oakland. Now he moves to New England, where he could spell or even play alongside Vince Wilfork. After nine years in the league, Warren isn’t an ideal starter at this point, but he can provide quality as a rotation player. Burgess struggled in his adjustment to New England last year, but he began to produce late in the year with three of his five sacks over the last three games.

3 – Texans (added UFA LB Danny Clark and TE Michael Gaines) – Clark, most recently with the Giants, returns to Houston to help fill the gap after Pro Bowler Brian Cushing was suspended for the first four games of the season. Clark isn’t dynamic, but he makes the plays in front of him, and so he’ll be a dependable option for the Texans until Cushing returns. Gaines is a veteran tight end who faces an uphill battle to make a roster stocked at tight end by Owen Daniels and draft picks Dorin Dickerson and Garrett Graham.

2 – Dolphins (added OG Cory Procter) – Procter isn’t a dynamic player, but he provides nice depth at guard and can start in a pinch. He played OK in Dallas but was let go earlier this month when Dallas rescinded his restricted free agent tender to try to save some money. Procter was a waiver-wire find by Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano in Dallas, so his new team will know what he can do and what he can’t. At the least, Procter will provide insurance in case third-round pick John Jerry needs an adjustment period to the NFL as the Dolphins try to replace the traded Justin Smiley.

2 (con’t) – Jaguars (added LB Freddie Keiaho and LB Teddy Lehman) – Keiaho is a small but speedy linebacker who started two years in Indianapolis but was always a guy the Colts were looking to replace. He wasn’t tendered as a restricted free agent, and now he moves to Jacksonville to compete for a job. Lehman, a former Lion, tries to return to the NFL after playing the UFL last season.

2 (con’t) – Lions (added S C.C. Brown) – Brown started for the Giants much of last year but didn’t play well in that role. But he can help provide depth for the Lions, who have one terrific safety in Louis Delmas but little else at the position. Brown will have to beat out several similarly talented players to win a job, but he at least has a shot of doing so.

1 – Ravens (added CB Travis Fisher) – Fisher has bounced around a ton lately, and he played only part of the year in Seattle last year. But given the Ravens’ problems at cornerback in 2009, it’s worth it for Baltimore to get a look at a guy who has started a bunch of games in the NFL to see if he can help.

1 (con’t) – Browns (added TE Alex Smith and PK Shaun Suisham) – Smith played for the Eagles last year, and he still has a bit of ability as a receiver. Smith will fight for a backup job behind free-agent addition Ben Watson in Cleveland. Suisham is a low-level NFL kicker, but he provides insurance in case the Browns can’t work out Phil Dawson’s contract situation.

1 (con’t) – Cowboys (kept UFA OG Montrae Holland) – Holland didn’t play at all for the Cowboys last year, but the team still brought him back as veteran depth on the offensive line. He’s a marginal backup who knows the system, but if he plays it’ll be a sign of trouble in Dallas.

1 (con’t) – Raiders (added FB Rock Cartwright, RB Michael Bennett, and OG Daniel Loper) – Cartwright, a long-time Redskin, got cut in Washington’s RB overhaul. Now he moves to Oakland, where he’ll provide depth behind Darren McFadden and Michael Bush at running back and behind Luke Lawton (who’ll miss the first two games of the season) at fullback. Cartwright can also return kicks, which helps his chances to stick. Bennett, a former first-round pick, will have to show he still has speed to stick around. Loper started five games for Detroit last year but is better as a backup at guard.

1 (con’t) – Bears (add LB Brian Iwuh) – Iwuh spent four years with the Jaguars, mostly as a backup outside linebacker. He comes in to provide depth on defense and special teams, perhaps filling the role that Jamar Williams had before he was traded to Carolina.

1 (con’t) – Bills (added RB Chad Simpson) – Simpson, an ex-Colt, can provide a little burst in the return game, but he’s not good enough to beat out C.J. Spiller or Fred Jackson or Marshawn Lynch for many carries on offense.

1 (con’t) – Packers (added CB Charlie Peprah) – Peprah, who played in Green Bay from 2006-08, returns to the Pack after a year in Atlanta. He’s got a chance to claim the team’s last CB roster spot.

1 (con’t) – Panthers (added TE Jamie Petrowski) – Petrowski missed the ’09 season with the Colts due to injury, but the block-first tight end gets a chance now to come back in Carolina.

Two NFL teams decided to play it safe this week by bringing back veteran safeties. Here are thoughts on Darren Sharper’s return to the Saints and Lawyer Milloy’s return to the Seahawks.

In New Orleans, Sharper returns on another one-year deal after a spectacular first year with the Saints. Sharper not only provided veteran wiles and stability to a secondary that had long been a trouble spot for the Saints; he also was a playmaker who picked off nine passes and returned three of them for touchdowns. Sharper is 34, but he showed he can still perform at a high level in the league. After taking Patrick Robinson in the first round of April’s draft, the Saints could have moved ’09 first-rounder Malcolm Jenkins to free safety, but it’s a far safer bet to spend a couple of million dollars to keep Sharper in place and use Jenkins as a jack of all trades. Eventually, Jenkins will replace Sharper, but the Saints don’t need to be in any hurry to make that switch because Sharper’s play is still superb.

In Seattle, Milloy returns for a second season in Seattle, and in doing so he’ll be reunited with his first NFL coach, Pete Carroll, who returns to the pros after nearly a decade at USC. It’s been seven seasons since Milloy starred for the Patriots on their first Super Bowl winning team, but even though Milloy has been on lower-profile teams in Buffalo, Atlanta, and now Seattle, he remained a starter until last season. Milloy should be able to serve as a mentor to first-rounder Earl Thomas, and he provides veteran stability at a position where the only other player with NFL experience is recent signee Quinton Teal. As with the Saints’ signing of Sharper, keeping Milloy at safety is a safe move that provides a sense of security for Seattle as they seek to develop Thomas into a defensive leader.

This is our final post in picking the best players at each position by jersey number. If you have quibbles, or want to add someone I forgot, leave a comment and we’ll update this post. Next, we’ll combine all of our posts to create our all-jersey number 2009 team.

20 – Ed Reed, Ravens - This hasn’t been Reed’s best year because of injury, but he still has three interceptions and three forced fumbles in 11 games. No safety in the league has had more impact this decade than Reed, and the fact that he won the league’s defensive player of the year award in a year that his team didn’t make the playoffs speaks to his greatness. So he gets the nod over long-time standouts S Brian Dawkins of Denver and CB Ronde Barber of Tampa Bay. Other notable 20s: Mike Adams, Browns; Alan Ball, Cowboys; Atari Bigby, Packers; Ralph Brown, Cardinals; Antoine Cason, Chargers; Chris Gamble, Panthers; Randall Gay, Saints; Brent Grimes, Falcons; Nick Harper, Titans; Michael Johnson, Giants; David Jones, Bengals; Keenan Lewis, Steelers; T.J. Rushing, Colts; Anthony Smith, Jaguars; Keith Smith, 49ers; Craig Steltz, Bears; Justin Tryon, Redskins; Jonathan Wade, Rams; Donald Washington, Chiefs; Donte Whitner, Bills; Madieu Williams, Vikings

22 – Asante Samuel, Eagles - First in New England and now in Philadephia, Samuel has been and still is a top-level cornerback. His eight interceptions this year is the second-best total in his career, and he now has 34 in his career. Other notable 22s: Nate Clements, 49ers; Vincent Fuller, Titans; William Gay, Steelers; Chevis Jackson, Falcons; Johnathan Joseph, Bengals; Pat Lee, Packers; Brandon McDonald, Browns; Tracy Porter, Saints; Carlos Rogers, Redskins; Samari Rolle, Ravens; Benny Sapp, Vikings; Matt Ware, Cardinals; Terrence Wheatley, Patriots

30 – Mike Brown, Chiefs - At a popular safety number, Brown gets the nod with his renaissance season in Kansas City. He has stayed healthy all season after injury problems plagued him in three of his last five years in Chicago. So he earns the choice over Charles Godfrey of Carolina, LaRon Landry of Washington, and Brandon McGowan of the Patriots. Other notable 30s: David Bruton, Broncos; Chris Clemons, Dolphins; Drew Coleman, Jets; Gerard Lawson, Browns; Jason McCourty, Titans; D.J. Moore, Bears; Geoffrey Pope, Eagles; Ko Simpson, Lions; Reggie Smith, 49ers

37 – Yeremiah Bell, Dolphins – Bell is a solid starting safety for the Dolphins, and his tackle total (103) is among the tops for defensive backs across the NFL. So we opt for Bell over George Wilson, another tackling machine playing safety for Buffalo, and Raiders CB Chris Johnson. Other notable 37s: James Butler, Rams; Sean Considine, Jaguars; Reed Doughty, Redskins; Eric Frampton, Vikings; Roderick Hood, Titans; Anthony Madison, Steelers; Chip Vaughn, Saints

39 – Brandon Carr, Chiefs - Carr has started all 30 games at cornerback for the Chiefs since he entered in the NFL as a 2008 fifth-round pick. He gets picked on a bit because Brandon Flowers is emerging as a good corner on the opposite side, but Carr has broken up 16 passes this year. Other notable 39s: Husain Abdullah, Vikings; Quintin Demps, Eagles; Trevor Ford, Packers; Chris Reis, Saints; DeAngelo Smith, Lions

40 – Marquand Manuel, Lions – Manuel has bounced around a lot, but he has been a starter in all but one of his six NFL stops. This year in Detroit, he started six of the nine games he played before going on injured reserve. Other notable 40s: John Busing, Texans; K.J. Gerard, Ravens; Jamie Silva, Colts

42 –Darren Sharper, Saints – Sharper’s veteran leadership has helped the Saints stabilized their secondary, and the veteran continues to make plenty of plays. He has eight picks this year, three of which he’s returned for touchdowns, and now 62 career interceptions. Other notable 42s: Gerald Alexander, Jaguars; Chris Crocker, Bengals; Brian Russell, Texans; Jack Williams, Lions

43 – Troy Polamalu, Steelers -Polamalu has been hurt much of the year this year, but his ability to range and make plays is what takes the Steelers defense from good to great. He may miss the Pro Bowl for the first time since his rookie season, but he still gets the nod here in a walk. Other notable 43s: Craig Dahl, Rams; Aaron Francisco, Colts; Chris Harris, Panthers; Hakuri Nakamura, Ravens; Tom Nelson, Bengals; Bryan Scott, Bills; Gerald Sensabaugh, Cowboys

44 – Jarrad Page, Chiefs – Page was in his third season as a starting safety in K.C. before going on injured reserve after playing five games this season. Still, that’s a better resume than that of Kevin Payne, who has lost his starting safety job with the Bears. Other notable 44s: James Ihedigbo, Jets; Rico Murray, Bengals

45 – De’von Hall, Colts – Hall, an undrafted rookie out of Utah State, has seen action in four games in his rookie season, notching three tackles. He is the only active defensive back wearing 45.

46 – none

47 – Jon McGraw, Chiefs – McGraw is in his eighth season, and he has started seven games for Kansas City this season, which is a career high. He also recorded his first career sack this season. His long career of contributing gives him the nod over rookie Cary Harris of Buffalo and fourth-year man Matt Giordano of Green Bay.

48 – Chris Horton, Redskins – Horton, a second-year player out of UCLA, emerged as a starter in his rookie season but fell out of the lineup before a midseason injury stopped his sophomore campaign. He is the only notable DB wearing 48.

49 – Rashad Johnson, Cardinals – Johnson, a third-round pick out of Arizona, is the only active defensive back wearing 49. He has not seen action this year.